Grasshopper Brownies
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
I have one last recipe to share with you before all of the festivities are over, so if you’re in need of a St. Patty’s-themed dessert for today, you’re in luck! Last year, I made a grasshopper pie and it was seriously phenomenal. As in, months later I was still thinking about it. Last week, I was craving brownies like nobody’s business, so I decided to put a grasshopper spin on one of my favorite brownie recipes. Both recipes are based on the grasshopper cocktail, which is a mint-flavored drink consisting of creme de menthe, creme de cacao and heavy cream. It’s delicious, but I would so much rather eat my sweet, minty calories than drink them, so brownies it is!
I used my chewy brownies as the base for these; I’ve found that they’re great for layered brownie desserts since they’re not too thick, and not overwhelmingly sweet. They were perfect for the buckeye brownies, and they turned out fabulous for these grasshopper brownies, as well. I topped the brownies with a creme de menthe buttercream, and then finished them off with a creme de cacao chocolate ganache. All the flavors of the popular cocktail, wrapped up in decadent brownies.
All of the green color and mint flavor come from the creme de menthe; both are noticeable, but subtle. If you prefer a really amped-up mint flavor or a deeper green color, you can augment the creme de menthe with mint extract and green food coloring.
If you want a festive dessert to enjoy tonight (or even this afternoon), you still have plenty of time to whip these up. If you’re out celebrating, enjoy and be careful!
Two years ago: Irish Beer and Cheese Bread
Three years ago: Corned Beef Hash and Homemade Shamrock Shake
Five years ago: Irish Soda Bread
Seven years ago: Super Sugar Cookies
Grasshopper Brownies
Ingredients
For the Brownies:
- â…“ cup (28.67 g) Dutch-processed cocoa
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) instant espresso, optional
- ½ cup (125 ml) plus 2 Tablespoons boiling water
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (109 ml) + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2½ cups (500 g) sugar
- 1¾ cups (218.75 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) salt
- 6 ounces (170.1 g) bittersweet chocolate, cut into ½-inch pieces
For the Creme de Menthe Filling:
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 ounces (85.05 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons green creme de menthe
- 2½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
For the Creme de Cacao Ganache:
- 14 ounces (396.89 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup (119 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon creme de cacao
Instructions
- Make the Brownies: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk cocoa, espresso powder, and boiling water together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Creme de Menthe Filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the creme de menthe and pinch of salt, blending until totally combined. Keeping the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar. Once it has all been incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth and fluffy. Spread the mixture over the cooled brownies into an even layer. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the Creme de Cacao Ganache: Place the chocolate, heavy cream and butter in a medium bowl set above a small saucepan of barely simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and stir in the creme de cacao. Set aside to cool to room temperature (the mixture will thicken as it cools), then use an offset spatula to spread in an even layer over the creme de menthe filling. Return to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Using foil overhang, carefully lift brownies from pan. Cut into squares and serve. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Unfortunately these missed the mark for me. Followed ingredient measurements and used 9×13 pan. All of the layers were too thick and even when sliced into small pieces, it was extremely sweet. The ratios need modifying, I think—I would halve the amounts of everything and decrease the powdered sugar in the buttercream if possible.
I made these brownies yesterday. My husband and I both agree that these are the BEST mint brownies that we have ever made or eaten. The ratio of filling to ganache to chewy brownie was perfect!! Our guests also gave these delicious brownies rave reviews.
The only thing that I changed was to omit the use of creme de menthe in the mint filling. I used a teaspoon of mint extract and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream to substitute for the liquid (the recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of the creme de menthe).
Thank you Michelle for another delectable recipe. We will definitely be making these again!
Are these tricky to cut? I have a similar recipe except the chocolate topping just calls for chocolate and butter and they are such a pain to slice without the chocolate top cracking! Wondering if the heavy cream might make them more pliable/easy to cut!
Hi there! Did you use bittersweet for the dark chocolate ganache layer? Thoughts on using chips for the bittersweet in the brownie layer?
Hi Carolyn, I sort of use dark and bittersweet interchangeably, but the chocolate was 60% cacao if that helps. And yes you could definitely do chips in the brownie layer!
Hi Michelle, question, I have these in the oven now and I am curious as to why you bake on the lowest rack. I hope they turn out as beautiful as yours. Thank you!
Hi Noreen, I hope you enjoy them! The low rack ensures the brownies are baked with a lower, more indirect heat.
I just made these last weekend, and they are DIVINE. The chocolate ganache layer was perfect -great consistency! My brownies did take a full hour to cool though, so I had to wait to frost with the creme de menthe. They are very rich -definitely good for large groups since most people can’t eat more than half a brownie. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hello. I want to make these for my boyfriend, because he looves mint and dark chocolate. I was wondering if there is any way to make my own creme de methe and creme de cacao, because I cannot find them in my country. Thankies!
Hi Cristina, I’ve never made it, but there are a TON of liquors that you can make at home. If you do some searching around, I’d bet you could find a recipe. Good luck!
Mmmmmmm! I made these this weekend and they were as tasty as they were beautiful! I served them with some Creme de Menthe flavored whipped cream and it added a wonderful touch. I enjoyed them most when they were out of the frig and still cool.
I do have a question for you. These look amazing. I had my heart set on making these for a get-together in a couple of weeks, but now I just realized that 2 of the guests are gluten free. We are talking an extreme allergy to gluten. Do you have any idea of how I can still make these, but have them be gluten free? My family is not gluten free, so I have no idea how to do that, and still have them turn out good. Any advice?
Hi Valda, Unfortunately, I am not familiar with gluten-free baking :(
There are box gluten brownies. The topping is all gluten free. I make them for my granddaughter all the time. Gluten brownies have a different texture then regular brownie.
I made something different to this on my blog for St Patrick’s Day, too. They were so awesome. I can’t wait to try this version!
Question – is there any way to whip the Creme de Menthe Filling into a frosting? (ie: I’m looking for a rich mint frosting for a chocoalte cake).
Hi Meg, Yes! It actually is a bit of a stiff frosting already. If you’d like it to be a little bit more of a spreadable consistency, you could add some heavy cream, a tablespoon at a time, until you get the consistency you want.
They look yummy (I love fudge-type brownies, chocolate and mint) but was concerned about the amount of oil in these. I’ve made lots of brownie recipes and never seen one with oil. I’d prefer to use butter…could this be substituted?
Hi Wendy, This particular recipe is meant to emulate a box brownie mix, both in flavor and texture. The oil is key in the development. My other favorite brownie – the Baked brownies (https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/10/08/the-baked-brownie/) – are delicious as well and use butter, but I do feel as though they are too thick and rich for this particular recipe.
It’s a perfect piece of chocolate and green!
Wow! Look at that thick layer of ganache! I love mint desserts and these look so delicious!
How can I have survived 38 years and never had a “grasshopper” anything??? I totally am making these brownies!
That thick layer of ganache has my mouth watering! These look oh so rich and dense. Beautiful!
Love that creme de cacao is in the ganache, a true grasshopper bar!
Gorgeous brownies, your layers are perfect!
There is pretty much no brownie that I won’t eat and this recipe is no exception – looks delicious!!
These bars look great! How did you get them sliced so clean, even and the same size?
Hi Sue, I slice my brownies and bars with an extra-large pizza cutter (an OXO one). Perfect, clean slices!
Thank you. Certainly look into getting one.
YUM! these bars looks amazing! I bet they taste as good as they look!
Delicious brownies:)
…MMM I love these!! They looks delicious, I could eat two or three of these right now!! :-)
Yes pleaaaaase!! These look perfect!!
These look amazing! I love those layers, and they’re perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!
Most perfect brownies ever. REALLY! They look so dense and fudgey! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
It looks so good, but anything with cream cheese isn’t for me
once I made brownies with cream cheese filling and couldn’t even swallow the first bite! :)
These look amazing! The brownie base you used looks fudgey and perfect. I need to make these brownies!
Ah! I bet these are incredible. I love mint + chocolate (who doesn’t, right?) But I love the thick layer of chocolate you added on top of the brownie and mint layer, too! Refreshing and indulgent – what a combination. Just lovely :)
These look fabulous! So dense and decadent!
These grasshoppers are my heaven. Seriously. Well done, grasshopper. Wax on!
I love how dense, rich, fudgy and fabulous these look! And that you have a go-to brownie base that fits the bill, i.e. thin, not too sweet, etc. It looks like the perfect base for these! And mint + chocolate = fab! Pinned
These look so good Michelle! I love that the chocolate layer has cream so that it makes it softer to bite into. Yum.